Darwin Nunez to Arsenal – Making sense of an unlikely deal

Arsenal is considering bringing Darwin Nunez to the team before the transfer deadline on Friday. The player is eager to come to London and play under Mikel Arteta in order to compete for trophies. Liverpool is open to selling Nunez. While the move may seem unlikely, it is not completely out of the question.

It has been some time since "AFCAMDEN" has consistently provided accurate and up-to-date Arsenal news.

In the beginning of Twitter, he was an important person to follow, along with GeoffArsenal. However, he has not been providing accurate information about the club since Jack Wilshere was on the team. In the following years, he has made many mistakes.

The story began with several other ITK accounts joining in on the trend of sharing "what they had heard." Essentially, they are all fabricating information to gain engagement and validate themselves if a deal actually takes place.

I wouldn't be shocked if this is just a prank.

In the past, we have witnessed prominent Twitter accounts and blogs joining forces to incorrectly connect us with a player in order to bring attention to the problem of the media and insider accounts quickly latching onto rumors without any actual information. This was like a test to reveal the foolishness of these individuals.

With that being said, it is possible that Darwin Nunez could move to Arsenal.

I have always thought that finding a player better than Kai Havertz is a difficult challenge. This summer, we have seen strikers who are not as good as him being sold for over £60m.

When we consider the strikers who have transferred this summer, Kylian Mbappe is the only one who would have significantly enhanced our team over Havertz. However, it was already expected that he would join Real Madrid. Julian Alvarez, Dominic Solanke, Joshua Zirkzee, and Elye Wahi are not players who would have enhanced our starting lineup.

Ivan Toney, Victor Osimhen, and Viktor Gyokeres are still available to be signed, but we have not made any moves for them yet. This is because Toney has attitude issues, Osimhen is asking for high wages, and Gyokeres is considered to be overpriced. Aside from Osimhen, I also believe that neither Toney nor Gyokeres would be able to immediately replace Havertz in the team.

After failing to secure Benjamin Sesko and finding Dusan Vlahovic content at Juventus, it seems like those in charge might be considering searching for players who can improve upon Gabriel Jesus, offer support and competition for Havertz, and eventually step into his starting role. They may be looking for a lesser-known striker, a secondary option.

Darwin Nunez possesses strengths and weaknesses that closely resemble those of Gabriel Jesus.

Both players are not typical strikers, and neither is a consistent scorer. However, they compensate for this with their determination, skill, and ability to play in multiple positions within the attacking trio.

The duo pose a greater danger when launching quick attacks than Havertz, and are more able to score a goal out of nothing. Their ability to play in different positions also allows them to move out to the sides from the middle, opening up opportunities for their teammates to move into.

If we were searching for a suitable replacement for Jesus that closely resembles him, then Nunez would definitely be among the top choices.

One area where Nunez would be a better option than Jesus is that he has a cleaner injury history and is also two years younger.

In the last 2 years, Nunez has only been unable to play in 12 games due to injury since joining Liverpool. On the other hand, Jesus has missed 33 games during the same period. Nunez's injuries have been small, like shoulder issues and muscle tightness, while Jesus has clearly been dealing with knee problems.

I am a fan of Gabriel Jesus.

When Jesus moved to Arsenal from Manchester City, he was our biggest signing of the summer and a symbol that a new chapter was starting for our team. As a result, he received a high salary that matched his reputation as a top player.

During the past two years, Jesus has been involved in the project that has led us to become runners-up to Manchester City twice. However, he is no longer a key player in the starting lineup.

Jesus is a great option to support Havertz in the attack, and he can also provide competition for Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka. The problem, besides his fitness, is that he's earning first-team wages even though he's now more of a squad player.

Paying Jesus £265k per week makes him the second-highest earner on our team, just behind Havertz who gets £280k weekly. It's worth mentioning though that Jesus still earns less than Grealish, Sterling, and Rashford.

Meanwhile, Darwin Nunez is earning a salary of £140,000 per week.

When Nunez makes the move from Liverpool to Arsenal, it's likely he will receive a salary increase. I predict that this increase could be around an extra £2 million per year. This would bring his weekly earnings to £180,000 and place him as our 8th highest paid player, tying with Gabriel Martinelli.

If these numbers prove to be accurate, the club could potentially save £4.4 million annually in wages. This is a significant amount of money. However, we also need to consider the costs related to transfer fees and amortization.

Jesus signed with Arsenal in 2022 for £45 million under a 5-year contract. At the moment, his annual cost to the team is £9 million. To cover his book value and break even this summer, Arsenal would need to sell him for around £27 million. Selling him for less would result in a financial loss for the team.

In that year, Nunez became a member of Liverpool for a fee of £64 million and agreed to a contract lasting 6 years. Currently, his value on the books is £42.6 million.

Now, let's consider a few other situations:

If Nunez were to sign a 5-year contract, it would suggest that Arsenal has not significantly improved or worsened financially in terms of breaking even on Jesus and avoiding additional costs in signing Nunez.

If Nunez signs a contract for £180,000 a week as mentioned, Arsenal could save £4.4 million on salary. That would be a total saving of £22 million over 5 years. This means that Arsenal could spend up to £64.6 million. Nunez's cost to the club would be around £22.28 million per year (£12.92 million in transfer fees spread out over time, and £9.36 million in salary). Currently, Jesus is costing £22.78 million per year (£9 million in transfer fees spread out over time, and £13.78 million in salary).

If we were to sign Nunez for £45m, we would still have £4.4m remaining to use. This means we could potentially entertain offers as low as £13.8m from another club, while setting aside £4.4m to cover Jesus' salary over the next 4 years. Alternatively, we could make a deal for £27m and have Arsenal pay Jesus £13.8m to depart. In the end, both scenarios result in the same outcome.

In simpler terms, Jesus would earn approximately £180,000 per week at his new club. Additionally, he could receive an extra £4.4 million annually for the first three years, with Arsenal covering any remaining costs. This would not change our current financial situation.

If we can make the funds work, trading Gabriel Jesus for Darwin Nunez without spending more money seems like a clear decision to me.

Nunez is more youthful and in better shape, and both players have a similar playing style and level of performance. By choosing Nunez over Jesus, we would be improving our team and increasing our squad's strength without any impact on our finances.

However, the main questions are:

Is Jesus, who is 27 years old, considering ending his professional career at the highest level and moving to Saudi Arabia for semi-retirement? Can we trust the sources that suggest this, or are they just seeking attention?

In conclusion, is it possible to have both Nunez and Jesus on the team temporarily? Nunez could fill in for Havertz, while Jesus could be a substitute for Saka. Would it make sense for a substitute player to earn more than the starter?

Enjoy your Thursday.